Drag-and-Drop Workflow Templates for Fault-Tolerant Execution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Developing workflows, such as in commerce payment processing systems, is time-consuming and requires trained engineers, leading to delays and resource consumption, as non-technical personnel must wait for engineers to build and test workflows.
Innovation Solution
A method and system allowing non-technical users to create and execute workflows by dragging and dropping UI components associated with tasks, which are dynamically assembled into a workflow on a frontend, and executed in a fault-tolerant backend system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If workflows are created from scratch by trained engineers, then workflow reliability and correctness are improved, but development time and engineering resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The workflow creation process is segmented into reusable template components. Instead of building workflows from scratch, the system provides pre-defined workflow templates that can be selectively instantiated and configured, dividing the complex creation task into manageable, reusable units.
Solution Approach 2:
Workflow templates are prepared in advance with pre-configured structures, validations, and best practices embedded. This preliminary action allows non-technical users to simply configure specific parameters rather than building entire workflows from scratch, significantly reducing development time while maintaining reliability.
2Manufacturing precision
If workflows are created by trained engineers, then workflow quality is improved, but ease of operation for non-technical personnel deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Workflow templates serve as an intermediary between engineering expertise and end-user needs. The templates encapsulate complex engineering decisions and best practices, allowing non-technical users to achieve high-quality workflows through simple configuration without directly engaging with complex engineering concepts.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring users to create original workflows, the system provides copies of proven, pre-tested workflow templates that can be instantiated and customized. This copying approach ensures quality consistency while dramatically simplifying the user operation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If traditional workflow creation methods are used, then system stability is maintained, but productivity and resource efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Workflow templates are designed to be universal and multi-functional, capable of serving multiple business scenarios with minimal customization. This universality allows the same template framework to handle various workflow types, increasing productivity while maintaining system stability through consistent underlying architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for defining and executing a workflow are described. the method comprises presenting, on a first section of a user interface (UI), a plurality of UI components associated with a plurality of tasks to be performed, where each UI component is associated with one task. The method further comprises, in response to one or more UI components of the plurality of UI components associated with one or more tasks of the plurality of tasks being moved from the first section of the UI to a second section of the UI, dynamically creating the workflow based on the one or more UI components and an order in which the one or more UI components being positioned in the second section of the UI, and executing the workflow to perform the one or more tasks of the plurality of tasks.